Who is Austin Dockter? Michigan cops tase and sit on man, 21, with Asperger's, handcuff 14-year-old sister
OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN: A series of videos show police officers arresting a Michigan man who allegedly has Asperger’s syndrome, bipolar disorder, anger management, and heart murmurs. One of the videos even shows an officer sitting on the 21-year-old who is heard crying out for help.
The videos were shared by TikTok user @samparker545, who has also been posting updates regarding the incident since Sunday. Oakland County Sheriff’s Office reported that the incident occurred when Austin Dockter, who has three warrants out against him, was identified at a traffic stop by a deputy on Saturday.
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Who is Austin Dockter?
The user who goes by the name Sam on TikTok claimed that their brother Dockter was arrested as there were three warrants out against him. He was arrested in Lyon County, Michigan. According to a report in Daily Dot, the sheriff's office confirmed that the three warrants were for stealing/retaining computer to commit crime, unlawful driving, and driving without a license.
Michelle Zanger, Dockter's stepmom, confirmed that she recorded the videos, however, she did not comment further regarding the incident or Dockter's arrest. In the video, she is heard saying, "I’m recording it." She also pleads with the officers by explaining, "He’s got mental issues, please.” Another person, identified as Emily, screams “stop!” as the cops are apprehending Dockter. Later, she is heard saying, "“I can’t do nothing; I can’t do nothing!”
Sam, later in another video, confirms that Emily is their 14-year-old sister. As Dockter continues to groan in the video, Emily yells, "Y’all shouldn’t use shit on him." One of the videos show cops trying to hold people back while they apprehend Dockter as Emily continues to scream.
Sam's comments indicated that there were four more officers present who had gone for Emily claiming she was “obstructing justice.”
The sheriff's office on the other hand claimed that Emily was held back because she had “pulled him away from deputies” and had even tried to “create a point of escape" by opening the door from the backseat. Zanger keeps moving between Emily and Dockter, asking Emily to return to the car while watching Dockter groan while being detained by the officers.
Speaking about apprehending Dockter, the sherrif's office said they had asked Dockter to come out of the vehicle numerous times and only attempted to tase him to ensure that he complied. It was also alleged that Dockter had tried to flee on foot and that is when the officers got hold of him and tased him.
One video also shows Emily get handcuffed as well; when she asks why she was being arrested, she is told because she's “interfering". One officer explained, "When you pulled him back, that’s interfering." Sam admitted the three warrants against Dockter but blamed “crazy ex-girlfriend” for the warrants. Sam had also alleged that she had a history of “making accusations against him.”
He added, "She has been stalking us for a while now, following us whenever we moved," and explained, "Earlier that day she called the cops on our house saying we were harboring a fugitive and saying Dockter was abusing his current girlfriend." Sam in another video said they understood why their brother had been arrested but claimed that the way it was done was excessive.
In the GoFundMe page linked on the TikTok account, it was stated that the officers “dragged him out and tased him again.” The page is titled 'Justice For Austin' and the goal is $25,000. Dockter was taken to a hospital before being taken to jail; his sister Emily was released on the scene.